Tim Sherwood has offered an apology to Benjamin Sesko after dismissing the Manchester United striker as one other big money flop earlier this season.
As with many other members of United’s first team squad, the summer recruit from RB Leipzig looks unrecognisable from the player who struggled so badly through the final few months of Ruben Amorim’s tenure.
The 22-year-old joined the Premier League giants in the summertime for an initial fee of £66.3million but found it hard to regulate to the rigours of English football.
Indeed, Sesko scored just twice in his first 19 games in all competitions and was derided after he appeared to shrink back from taking a penalty in an embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat at Grimsby Town.
The Slovenia international appeared to have turned a big corner when he struck twice in a 2-2 draw at Burnley in what was the primary game of Darren Fletcher’s temporary caretaker spell in charge, but Sherwood was removed from impressed.
He said: ‘I believe the positive is Sesko scoring two goals. Hopefully he gets some confidence going. It’s took him six months to show up at Man United and I’m pleased for the lad.
‘He’s had a troublesome run of it. I had him off the pitch at half-time, never to wear a Man United shirt again.
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‘He’s not ok to play for Man United. He’s turned up for one game against Burnley who’re going to get relegated.’
Not deterred by that criticism, Sesko has responded by scoring five more times in his last seven games, including the winner in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, and may lay claim to being essentially the most in-form centre forward in the highest flight.
Acknowledging he went too strong, too soon, Sherwood told Boyle Sports: ‘I based my assessment on the Benjamin Sesko I saw playing under Ruben Amorim – a striker who didn’t wish to arise and take a penalty at Grimsby.
‘Even the staunchest Man United fans will admit that he wasn’t living as much as expectations last yr. I originally thought he’d end up exactly like Wout Weghorst did and be one other failed signing for the Red Devils, but I’ve been proven mistaken and I owe him an apology!
‘Michael Carrick has accomplished transformed Sesko and he’s now playing to his strengths. He’s puffed his chest out, scoring great goals and scaring defenders together with his pace.
‘He’s a distinct player to what he was a number of months ago under Amorim.
‘As an alternative, he’s coming off the bench with attitude and impacting games, which is a manager’s dream for a striker.’
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